Rangers remained at the top of the Scottish Premier League, but not even their most committed supporter could argue with the contention that it was an appropriately depressing end to a thoroughly miserable week.

Curiously, the match itself was certainly the most entertaining and intriguing at Ibrox this season, one that deserved more goals than the early leader from Kris Boyd and the second-half equaliser from Anthony Stokes.

Misgivings would have been more plentiful than expectations among a home support rendered fearful by the humiliating defeat from Unirea in the Champions League four days earlier. But the identity of the opposition should have offered a fair measure of reassurance of an open, eventful match.

Hibs let nobody down, threatening to open the scoring with less than a minute played and to concede one at the other end less than sixty seconds after that. With the boys from Leith, matches are rarely incident-free.

Even after falling behind to Boyd's goal, the visitors adhered to their patient, passing game and continued to give Allan McGregor, the Rangers goalkeeper, abundant opportunities to distinguish himself. That opening chance came to Derek Riordan, the result of a precisely-lobbed pass from Liam Miller out to the left. Riordan drove inside and, unusually for a player normally reliable in these situations, slid his low shot wide of the far post.

Rangers' first opportunity came to Boyd, who should have taken advantage of his smart turn past two defenders, but pulled his left-foot shot wide from inside the penalty area. He scored with his next chance because it was basically unmissable.

Steven Whittaker crossed long and deep from the right, Kyle Lafferty was isolated at the far post and immediately sent his header across to Boyd, who had only to volley the ball over the line from four yards.

Merouane Zemmama, producing some incisive skill throughout, and Stokes would have given Hibs the lead between them but for two exceptional saves from McGregor. But Boyd and Lafferty should also have scored another two for the home side, the first thwarted by the outstretched leg of Graham Stack, the second shooting weakly straight at the goalkeeper after he had been released into the area.

Almost typical of the way Rangers' misfortunes had been piling up through the week – injuries to influential players had accompanied the defeat in Europe – they lost the lead at a time in the second half when they appeared emphatically the better team and by far the likelier to score the next goal.

John Fleck, the teenage midfielder, had replaced the injured Lee McCulloch just before half-time and he took control of his area with vision, precision and a mature appreciation of his position. It was his perceptive flick through the middle that allowed Miller a clear scoring chance, the striker's powerful drive palmed away once more by the alert Stack.

The Hibs goalkeeper would repeat the good work with another vital save from a ferocious left-foot drive from Sasa Papac from around 30 yards before Stokes delivered the Hibs goal.

It was from a forward pass by Miller that the striker chested the ball down and then played keepy-uppy between Papac and David Weir before turning away from them and lobbing the volley left-footed over McGreegor. It was a goal to which the visitors could have added twice during the last ten minutes.